It was a long two years after initially leaving the Jehovah’s Witness religion. My JW wife kicked me out of the house because she felt I was a “spiritual danger”, giving me just two days notice to gather up what items I could and squeeze them into the back of my four door sedan. I had nowhere to go and lost almost 20 pounds over the next couple months. Then within six months of this happening, and with a bitter divorce trial plodding along slowly and painfully, I received a call one afternoon as I trekked up a tall hill on my bicycle to clear my head.

“We would like to meet with you, in a spirit of LOVE” was the faux-invitation being extended to me by a young elder I had mentored just a year before when he was appointed. Of course it was not a real invitation, as they would proceed with their kangaroo court proceeding whether I was there or not. I decided to attend and “let my light shine.” (Matthew 5:16, HCSB) You can read about and watch what happened here: http://www.jwstruggle.com/2012/09/apostasy-trial-first-video/

As my divorce trial dragged on, it came down to the final court date, which was just one week after my judicial committee meeting where they told me I was to be disfellowshipped and shunned for the “crime” of apostasy. My lawyer explained that I would be put on the stand for several hours, possibly an entire day. The very thought made me break out in a sweat. What could the attack-dog lawyer hired by my soon to be ex-wife possibly ask me that could take that long?

Well as it turns, out, one of the prongs of their legal attack was an accusation that I was using my children to “advance my vendetta against the Jehovah’s Witness religion”. They also accused me of sending inappropriate links via email to my children about pedophile JW elders. Needless to say when the conversation on the stand turned to the Watchtower Organization, I felt I was on safe ground. My lawyer pointed out to the judge that as a former clergy member for the religion for ten years I could speak as an expert witness. The judge agreed. How ironic! Me a former “Jehovah’s Witness” being promoted in a court of law to the status of Expert Witness on the Witnesses!

At this point the door was open. I was able to bring out many shocking facts to the judge including:

• Examples of being shunned at the store, gym, etc. while with my children. Comments from the judge followed stating that shunning is harmful to the children, and what is counsel going to do to eliminate this?

• A ruling stating that the children could not be baptized without my permission until they are 18. (Huge win! Many former Witnesses have had their children scooped up and carried off when their children are secretly baptized into the WT cult)

• My expert testimony as a former JW elder of 10 years about Armageddon, shunning, theocratic warfare, etc. When I divulged that Witnesses have stated that it is okay to lie in certain situations when it is to protect their image and their God. My former father-in-law was literally squirming in his seat when I exposed this little-known fact top the court.

So this is why I have decided to save up (and crowdfund) the money to purchase the transcript of this important trial so as to put out the pertinent portions of this trial as an article here and also on my YouTube channel. Please check out the link below if you would like to participate in this fundraiser:

Stay tuned on this topic- I hope to start work on an analysis of what happened at the trial soon!

———- UPDATE ———-

The goal was met and the transcript is being prepared. Once it is delivered I will start on the article and video discussing the key aspects of the proceedings for us as exJWs!

20 Comments on Campaign to get Transcript of exJW Divorce Trial

Congratulations, Eric, for your stand on all these issues. What should be obvious too to all who read your transcripts and read the transcripts accompanying the tawdry efforts of so-called ‘judicial committees, is that of contrast between genuine impartiality and the regular kangaroo courts held by ‘spiritually-qualified’ people.

The good thing about secular courts (I refuse to call them ‘worldly’) is that they look to the mental health of the child as well as the physical. Not being able to presume that a religious upbringing in an organised religion is superior, they harmonise with the First Amendment. As Richard Dawkins reminds us, ‘There is no such thing as a (Jehovah’s Witness) child.

hell yea dude! that’s cool that they let you speak about these little known facts about the JW religion. I am sorry for what you are going throught though, like you didn’t even do anything wrong you just did not want to be a JW no more, it’s not like you wanted to divorce her either, I will pray and I am hopeful everything will turn out fine, you can hit me up if you like and talk.

Stop blaming the organization of problems you have caused and start telling people what is the truth. Now you are empty because you don’t have place to go, Jehovah has helped your people to get the truth trough your organization little by little. You just are thinking on yourselves , you are very immature . You look like a baby, stop talking just bad things about jw and start telling what is the truth. Jehovah always has had an organization on the earth who help his nation.are you telling me that you are now the Jehovah organization. Be humble and pray to Jehovah and come back to him . You can’t be in a good relationship with Jehovah talking against his organization . Pray to Jehovah asking for help to his organization not to do mistakes . Abraham , David , Noah , Peter weren’t perfect like the body government is not perfect. Jehovah still helped Abraham , David , Noah and peter to guided his nation and the same is doing with the body government

The fact that you are reading this shows how curious you are. I was like you once back when i was an MS. commenting and defending the organization. But just do your investigation and you too will see that it’s not “the truth”. You don’t have to read ex jw sites, and dont only research watchtower publications to find out if what they teach is true or not. We don’t hate the JW’s we hate the harmful teachings that the governing body makes them practice (shunning, etc.) We don’t care if people want to become or continue being JW’s…we should all be free to practice and believe or not believe in whatever the hell we want to. You have the freedom to read or not to look at ex jw sites or videos. I was really hurt when I came to realize it’s not the truth, I cried alot, that sadness turned to anger, and now I don’t even care anymore and feel sorry for you and all the other JW’s who are still in that mindset. FYI I am not DF’d nor DA’d.

Stop lying about Eric, sick of jerks talking trash who know nothing about him or his wife. I am not a part of JWstruggle but I know Eric is a decent person, when I was in his congregation it was him, not his wife who checked up on the elderly and infirm. Eric checked up on those without food or money, so what’s your question again? We have plenty of Pedophiles in our local region, stop lying the Watchtower is not a Pedophile Paradise because it is!

One of my dearest friends was DF’d 3 years ago when his JW wife divorced him. She is now trying to take away his shared custody of there two children. His lawyer is ignorant of a theocratic warfare, and well…not great anyway. I’m seeking a family lawyer in Maryland (US) that knows how to fight this fight. If anyone knows someone who can help, please respond.

I am not a JW and never was, I watched your videos to try to get an understanding of something that happened to me. I have been trying to figure out the Witnesses for 7 months, I knew nothing about them, I have a lot of unanswered questions which you just answered between your videos and your writings. Elders talk in circles all the time and the always lie, are both of these are true statements? I have a very good story for you.

The elders meet a few times to see how the congregation is going. Or if there is a matter to discuss it can range from someone who wants to get baptized to whom do they suggest gets priveleges like passing microphones or handling the literature/magazines as well as when some one is ill and to council or disfellowship people. Not all elders are evil btw, I want to re affirm that there are some wonderful people in the organization that truly love god and their brothers/sisters who will be up all night with you at the hospital or buy you food or give you a place to stay etc. all of course if you are a jw LOL but still feel free to ask any questions i was never an elder Eric (aka JJ was).

Hey Eric, I found you by watching your Apostasy Trial on youtube, Can I get and email for you? Or can email me at colombiabi@outlook.com I am a New Covenant Christian missionary in Colombia and am researching for ways to present the Gospel to Jehovah’s Witnesses here in Colombia. Thanks Jason

There will always be something with religion and all Jah simply expected from humans was to obey his words for their own profit Gen 2:17 which he did warn Adam about the tree but he didn’t follow through unfortunately . Therefore some people prefer to follow religion/preacher than to follow through with God and are careless about their personal relation with God which is more important. I have nothing against the JW but they can be very controlling by making you feel guilty not really free for being you for little flaws or quirks that are not even sinful and the pressure to serve God their only way and to be exactly them like them and that only the GB has the truth/only Jehovah Chanel and that I can’t put up with it. I don’t understand how come Adam won’t be resurrected if Jesus did die for humans sins?! In the memorial no one partake at the Lord dinner why even invite people why not only invite the chosen ones? What about 1914?What about 114,000 only going to heaven? The pressure to preach something I don’t understand and spread things that are unclear I can’t do that because I would be accountable before Jehovah and Jesus for what I had preach to others . I want to serve / preach Jehovah free with a clear conscience

Eric/JJ I am sorry about your divorce I mean everyone on this earth deserve a little happiness your wife was not supposed to divorce you for not wanting to be part of the GB movement anymore according to GOD S LAWS it s not like you cheated on her which is not fair and that was foolish of her and she would be accountable for her own choices, the elders should called for questioning in the interrogation room for her behavior /motives humans can act so foolish. Continue to pray,take care of yourself and be happy/turn the chapter/move on because life is short to live it unhappy!

Hervin:
Stop blaming the organization of problems you have caused and start telling people what is the truth. Now you are empty because you don’t have place to go, Jehovahhas helped your people to get the truth trough your organization little by little. You just are thinking on yourselves , you are very immature . You look like a baby, stop talking just bad things about jw and start telling what is the truth. Jehovah always has had an organization on the earth who helphis nation.are you telling me that you are now theJehovah organization.Be humble and pray to Jehovah and come back to him . You can’t be in a good relationship with Jehovah talking against his organization .Pray to Jehovah asking for help to his organization not to do mistakes . Abraham , David , Noah , Peter weren’t perfect like the body government is not perfect.Jehovah still helped Abraham , David , Noah and peter to guided his nation and the same is doing with the body government

Oh my . And you are HERE? You understand you could find yourself in jeopardy of being kicked out yourself just for being here. You really have no clue you poor blind person.

It took me 15 years above the 10 years involvement of this religion to conclude today that it is not the truth. Reason way because most religions do have the truth but just not apply’t . After all what is the truth ? It is nothing more then the bible which most humans have but don’t rely take the time to read. The truth really started to existed from Jesus Christ and not any after think of that !!.

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